The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-08-05
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE END OF ALsroN's HORSE.

Alston's Horse soon reached the bridge, past
which the Undi were commencing to run, at
a distance of about $50 yards, and the order
was given TO dismount and line IT, This they
did, one man in every four keeping a few
PAGES back to hold the horses of his section.
Then they opened fire; and next second came
back the sound Of the thudding of the bullets
on the shields and bodies Of Zulu warriors.
Ernest, seated up high ON his great black
horse, the Devil, for the officers did not dis
mount, could see how terrible was the effect
of that raking fire, delivered as it was, not
by raw English boys, who scarcely knew one
end of rifle from another, but by men, all
of whom could shoot, and many of whom
were crack shots. All along the line of the
Cndi companies men threw up their arms
and dropped dead or staggered out OF the
ranks wounded. But the main body never
paused. By and by they would come back
and move the wounded or kill them if they
were not likely to recover.
Soon as the range got longer the fire began
to be less deadly and Ernest could see that
fewer men were dropping.
Ernest" said Aston, galloping up to him,
II am going to charge them Look, they will
soon cross the donga and reach the slopes Of
the mountain, and we shan't be able to follow
them on the broken ground"
"Isn't it rather riskyi" asked Ernest, some
what dismayed at the idea of launching their
little company of mounted men at the NOV
ing mass before them.
"Riskyl yes, of course it is, but my orders
were to delay the enemy as much as possible,
and the horses are fresh. But, my lad"-and
he bent toward him and spoke low--"it
doesn't much matter whether we are killed
charging or running away. l am sure that
the camp must be taken; there is no hope
Good by, Ernest; IL fall, fight the corps as
long as possible, and kill as many of those
devils as you can; and If you survive, re-
member to make off well to the left. The
regiments will have passed by then God
bless you, my boy Now order the bugler TO
sound the Cease fire. and let the men
mount
ayes, sir"
They were the last werds Aston ever spoke
to him, and Ernest often remembered with
admiration that even at that moment he
thought more OF his friends safety than he
did of his own. AS 10 their tenor, Ernest had
already suspected the truth, though luckily
the suspicion had not as yet tmpregnated the
corps Mazooku, too, who as usual was
with him, mounted on a Basutu pony, bad
just informed him that, in his (Ma2ooku's)
opinion, they were all us good as ripped up
(alluding to the Zulu habit of cutting dead
enemy OPEN, and adding consolatory re-
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